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Looking at the High Ogre that appeared before him all of a sudden, Yagami clicked his tongue.

The boss room only exists at the bottom of the dungeon. This is the common sense in dungeons. That is why Yagami and the others kept using [Enemy Detection] many times while advancing through the floors to check whether there was still a floor underneath or not.

Despite that, what the heck is this? Why is there a boss room in the middle floor? Moreover, the boss that appeared is an extra boss, which was far more powerful than the normal boss.

But even if nobody answered, they actually already know that the course of events that happened to them, from the monster parade to the inducement, is in fact a trap. And they were caught in that trap.

Because of that, now they had to fight against a level 40,000 monster, which was far stronger than them.

(Can we even beat this monster by ourselves?)

Even Yagami himself, who has the highest level among them, has not reached level 26,000 yet. The difference is clear. Even with the help of everyone, it will be difficult for them to win against that monster. Even so, in order for them to survive, they had no choice but to fight.

“Leader!”

Then, towards his comrades who were looking for his instructions, Yagami said.

“We will fight it, adjust your formation! The front-liner, focus on attracting the attention of the enemy! Magicians other than me spread to support them! I will be the one who gives the finishing blow! Healer, use your strengthening magic to everyone!”

“Yes!”

Everyone nodded and immediately moved to fulfill their respective roles to face the High Ogre. Meanwhile, Yagami suddenly remembered the existence of Rin behind him.

(Given the previous move he displayed, I think Amane could become a fighting force too but… No, I can’t do that)

However, Yagami shook his head, as he didn’t think Rin had the ability to fight against a level 40,000 monster. And above all, he is a close combat type who uses a dagger.

Cooperation between front-liners is difficult, and one mistake can be fatal. Therefore, it surely will be difficult for Rin who just joined the party for the first time to cooperate well there.

Hence, Yagami judged that he shouldn’t rely on an uncertainty like Rin in this kind of extreme situation.

While Yagami was thinking about that, the battlefield gradually began to heat up.

The tanks utilized all their skills, devoting themselves to defense without minding the MP consumption, as otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to withstand a single blow from the huge sword wielded by the High Ogre.

Then, the swordsman and the spear master would slash at the ankle of the High Ogre whenever they found a chance. Their job is to limit the movement of the High Ogre while lessening the pressure on the tanks.

However–

*Clank*

“Wha! Our blades cannot pass through?!”

“Shit, the hardness of this monster’s skin isn’t normal!”

Along with a high-pitched sound, the hard skin of the High Ogre easily deflected the two blades. Although the difference in their levels was indeed nearly double, this kind of thing usually won’t ever happen. Then, after a few moments of thoughts, Yagami arrived at the answer.

“— it’s Hardening!”

Skill [Hardening]. As the name implies, it is a skill that could increase the strength of the body and originally is a skill that should be acquired by a front-liner, especially a tank. This High Ogre most likely has that kind of power as a trait.

This exactly is the troublesome part of high-ranked monsters. The higher their levels are, the more troublesome the traits they have. Such as a snake that spits acid that could dissolve a body, a lizard that is covered in flames, a turtle that keeps causing an earth tremor– And then, a huge ogre that could increase the strength of its body.

In conclusion, it will be difficult to defeat this monster that possesses defensive traits. However, it still doesn’t mean they could just give up!

Yagami continues to activate his magic while checking the situation of the battle. Although the attacks of the front-liner were deflected by the skin of the High Ogre, they were still able to inflict some shallow wounds. In other words, no matter how strong its body is, it doesn’t mean it was invincible. Which means, it should be possible to defeat this monster with his most powerful attacks.

And approximately tens of seconds later, that moment he had been waiting for finally came.

“Leader, now!”

After succeeding in buying some time, the front-liner who took a distance from the High Ogre said to Yagami. Looking at that, Yagami shouted, while squeezing every magic power inside his body.

“Prominence Burst!!!”

The highest level magic of fire attribute, prominence burst.

It was a swirling torrent of flames that boasted a penetrating power that could penetrate any iron wall and would cause a large-scale explosion the moment it penetrated the enemy’s skin. By doing that, the enemy’s body will be pulverized and burned from the inside.

This is for sure the most powerful attack that the current Yagami could muster, a skill that he believes could penetrate even the skin of the High Ogre.

“GUOOOOOOOOOO!?”

Although the High Ogre noticed the magic that was approaching itself, it was already too late. Without being able to evade, the torrent of flames directly hit the chest of the High Ogre, causing dust to fill the room as an aftermath.

Looking at that, everyone was convinced of their victory.

However–

“It’s a lie…right?”

A few seconds later, what emerged from the dust was the High Ogre that was still alive. Facing such a scene, Yagami was shocked.

(The prominence burst didn’t hit it? No, although small, there are slight burn marks in its body. It should have directly hit it! Then, why is it only injured to that extent!?)

Albeit feeling shaken, Yagami keeps his calm and analyzes the situation. Then, while observing the whole body of the High Ogre, Yagami noticed something.

(What? The redness of its body at the part that received my magic was increased. And it’s not because of the burns caused by my magic, but it seems that the skin itself is thickening. On the other hand, I feel like the redness in other parts seems to be thinner—!)

“Don’t tell me!”

After thinking, Yagami arrived at one answer.

“It could change the strength of the hardening on a part of its body?!”

If that guess is correct, Yagami could understand how the High Ogre could defend against the prominence burst, since if the hardening power that had been spread all over its body was gathered at one point, the strength would naturally have jumped several times.

In other words, it was an ability that cannot be reproduced with the [Hardening] skill used by adventurers, and unique only for the High Ogre. By using that, the High Ogre could even nullify the full-power attacks rained by Yagami’s party.

Because of that, the undesired situation for Yagami and the others continues. And just like the monsters that they have encountered along the way, the High Ogre seemed to have the ability to regenerate too, as the burns marks in its body disappeared in an instant.

(Shit, what a troublesome opponent! It not only has the ability to control hardening power, but it also has a regeneration ability that could heal a few scratches in an instant! This means, to defeat this monster, we have no choice but to attack it with all we have in a speed that is faster than it can control its hardening!)

Yagami himself still didn’t know how he could make that plan into reality. However, if they didn’t start moving, they would only get annihilated by the High Ogre. And he understood that.

“Everyone, please buy me some time once mo—”

“BURAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Yagami’s words never finished, as the full-power roar of the High Ogre suppressed Yagami’s voice and attacked them with menace.

Confusion, despair, and fear. Facing an unprecedented death crisis that is approaching them, every member of the party felt such fundamental feelings as a human being.

The only one who could barely endure the intimidation was Yagami himself, who with a frustrated expression shouted at his stunned comrades.

“What the heck are you all doing!? Move! Get away from the High Ogre quickly!”

However, Yagami’s voice couldn’t reach his party members whose consciousness were being oppressed by the High Ogre. Looking at them, the High Ogre lifted the edge of its mouth and lifted the huge sword in its hand. Then, swung it down with enough power to destroy everyone in the room– No, even the room itself.

*Zwosh*

The sound of the atmosphere being cut off echoed throughout the room. The ones who were being the target of the huge sword that swung by the High Ogre were the front-liners who have desperately bought time while being next to death itself. And in the face of the impending crisis toward his comrades, Yagami could only reach his hand toward them.

But immediately after that, Yagami witnessed the figure of a young man who dashingly ran past himself while everyone could only stand still.

(Wha—!?)

That young man– Amane Rin was heading toward the High Ogre with a silver longsword in his hand. Looking at that, Yagami screamed in a hurry.

“Wait, Amane! That’s reckless!”

Even he himself didn’t know why only Amane could move in this kind of situation. However, to fight a level 40,000 monster, his body seems too small–.

But, the huge sword of the High Ogre ruthlessly swung to such a small body of him.

◇◆◇

Dozens of seconds earlier.

Rin sank into the sea of thought as he observed the battle between Yagami’s party and the High Ogre from behind.

The level of the High Ogre is 40,000. It was a level that differed, not only by a bit, but was nearly doubled from Rin’s current level, which is 17,000. Rin himself intuitively understood that this enemy was the most powerful monster that he had ever fought.

If it was just the difference in level between him and his opponent, then the Tenraijuu that he once fought before was larger than this. But now that he looked back at it, at that time, the preparation for him to be able to confront Tenraijuu has been prepared from the quests rewards that he got along the way such as full potion and magic pill. In other words, the sound of the system has provided a way for Rin to overcome the Tenraijuu (it was a close victory, though.).

However, this time is different. The High Ogre in front of Rin and the others right now is an irregular enemy that clearly exists only to massacre them.

If he uses everything to fight against it, Rin’s ability would be revealed for sure this time. But, in the first place, there is no guarantee that he could win even if he used everything he has. In that case, it would be best to leave the subjugation to Yagami’s party, who were experienced.

Based on that thought, Rin decided to watch the outcome of the battle.

However, in the end the full-power magic attack released by Yagami couldn’t defeat the High Ogre. And facing such reality, everyone stopped moving because of fear and despair.

—And here, Rin suddenly remembers something that happened a while ago. About the day when he fought a deadly battle against the Orc General.

That day, Rin didn’t make it in time. He could barely save Rei. Whatever the reasons, there was certainly a life that he couldn’t save.

But, now, he is here, and no one is dead yet. The weight of their lives and his secrets wasn’t something that couldn’t be compared.

Besides—

(In the first place, for what did I come here for?)

Naturally, that answer has already been decided.

To fight against the strong and gain a new power.

For that reason, he couldn’t miss this opportunity.

“Nameless!”

What emerged in his hand is a sword that was meant to defeat superior enemies. And when the High Ogre swung down the huge sword in its hand, Rin rushed toward it.

“Wait, Amane! That’s reckless!”

As his thoughts have already focused on the movement of the High Ogre, no voice could enter his ears. Then, after running at a speed that exceeded the speed of sound, with a force that could even crush the floor, Rin jumped–and swung the Nameless with all his might aiming at the huge sword of the High Ogre.

“HAAAAA!”

The two blades collided, generating white sparks that scattered around them. The results are even. Both forces competed and got pushed back at the same time.

“Wha!”

“He deflected that huge sword?!”

In front of that kind of scene, everyone except Rin raised their voices in shock, as it was a shock that could even counteract their fears.

“—-?”

And the High Ogre was no exception. It looked at Rin with a puzzled expression on its face, as if it couldn’t seem to comprehend how such a small body possessed so much power.

On the other hand, Rin had a different reaction. After observing the fight from behind, Rin already understood the traits of the High Ogre. In addition, he also understood from the previous exchange that his power could contend against his opponent.

—In other words, all the conditions are met.

Directing his jet-black eyes toward the High Ogre, Rin quietly said.

“I will have you, become my nourishment.”

Then, the battle between Rin and the High Ogre began.